Roger Bisby strides out in Next Generation Trousers from Snickers.
When you look at the huge range of styles and sizes that Snickers currently offers, you might reasonably ask why it needs to produce a whole new Next Generation Trouser range. Fashion undoubtedly plays a part, even for someone who declares himself to be totally uninterested in fashion, but underneath the good looks lies a solid bed of functionality that has helped Snickers stay ahead of the competition throughout its history. This is no mean feat because the gear is copied relentlessly and it certainly isn’t the cheapest. So how does Snickers manage it?
It is a question I first started asking a few years ago when I was doing some independent research into the workwear market. Whenever I was out on site testing tools and materials, I took the opportunity to quiz people on their choice of workwear. Most of the trades I spoke to declared a preference for Snickers even if they didn’t actually buy them. With few exceptions, they acknowledged that it is a superior product and one that everyone has heard of. The only resistance is the price. People told me that they would like to have Snickers but didn’t want to pay that kind of money for a pair of work trousers. The implication is that they would then have something nice that they didn’t want to trash and it would worry them. That said they rarely went to the other end of the scale so they would end up in the middle. So what I was hearing was that it wasn’t the whole price, it was just the extra bit between a pair of trousers that they knew weren’t as good and the ones they really wanted. After tax, the difference might be as little as £20. I even spoke to one young man who had bought three pairs of cheaper (but not cheap), trousers and the zips went on all three. He actually had his flies done up with a safety pin, which is certainly hazardous if you are in a hurry.
By contrast, I also met many people from various trades who wouldn’t consider buying anything other than Snickers. If there is a typical Snickers customer, it is probably those people who are instinctively in tune with the idea that you simply have to pay for quality. It costs money to make something that is going to last. It is something they are telling their customers every day. They won’t be the cheapest quote out there but the job will be right. As an aside, I also noticed that kind of person generally had a tidier van, though I don’t know what to do with that information other than try to tie up a deal between van racking and workwear.
For further information on Snickers and its workwear, visit www.snickersuk.com
